Many methods are known by means of which electronic modules or circuit-board structures containing components can be manufactured. Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,847 discloses, for example, a circuit module construction for mounting and interconnecting electronic components to substrates, which is applicable to mounting a wide variety of electronic components and conductors, including inverted or ‘flip chip’ mounted integrated circuits. The components are mounted to the substrate with a sandwiched non-conductive polymer layer which acts as the bonding agent and underfill. The substrate and underfill have apertures aligned with signal traces on the substrate and the contacts of the component and conductive polymer is injected through the apertures to fill the area between the substrate contacts and the component contacts, to secure good electrical connection. In one embodiment the non-conductive polymer is printed on the contact side of the substrate with gaps for the contacts. In another embodiment B-staged non-conductive polymer is coated on the non-contact side of the substrate, prior to forming contact apertures and mounting of components. Conductive polymer is then injected in the apertures to make the electrical connections, and the assembly is cured. No coating or pre-treatment of the components is needed.
Additionally, document U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,133 teaches a circuit component built-in module including an insulating substrate formed of a mixture comprising 70 wt % to 95 wt % of an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin, a plurality of wiring patterns formed on at least a principal plane of the insulating substrate, a circuit component arranged in an internal portion of the insulating substrate and electrically connected to the wiring patterns, and an inner via formed in the insulating substrate for electrically connecting the plurality of wiring patterns. Thus, a highly reliable circuit component built-in module having high-density circuit components can be obtained.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,633 further discloses a semiconductor chip assembly including a semiconductor chip attached to a support circuit. The support circuit includes an insulative base, a conductive trace and a through-hole between its top and bottom surfaces. The through-hole includes a top sidewall portion adjacent to the top surface and a bottom sidewall portion adjacent to the bottom surface. The conductive trace includes a pillar at the top surface and a routing line at the bottom sidewall portion. An electroplated contact terminal on the pillar extends above the base, and an electroplated connection joint in the through-hole contacts the routing line and the pad. Preferably, the connection joint is the only metal in the through-hole. A method of manufacturing the assembly includes simultaneously electroplating the contact terminal and the connection joint.
Document US 2002/0117743 A1 furthermore describes a component built-in module including a core layer formed of an electric insulating material, and an electric insulating layer and a plurality of wiring patterns, which are formed on at least one surface of the core layer. The electric insulating material of the core layer is formed of a mixture including at least an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin. At least one or more of active components and/or passive components are contained in an internal portion of the core layer. The core layer has a plurality of wiring patterns and a plurality of inner vias formed of a conductive resin. The electric insulating material formed of the mixture including at least an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin of the core layer has a modulus of elasticity at room temperature in the range from 0.6 GPa to 10 GPa. Thus, it is possible to provide a thermal conductive component built-in module capable of filling the inorganic filler with high density; burying the active component such as a semiconductor etc. and the passive component such as a chip resistor, a chip capacitor, etc. in the internal portion of the substrate; and simply producing a multilayer wiring structure.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,033 teaches a method for manufacturing a circuit-board structure. According to the method, a conductor pattern is made, and contact openings are made in it for a component's electrical contacts. After this, the component is attached relative to the conductor pattern, in such a way that the contact areas or contact bumps of the component lie next to the contact openings. After this, an electrically conductive material is introduced to the contact openings, in order to form electrical contacts between the conductor pattern and the component.
Additionally, document U.S. Pat. No. 8,581,109 discloses a method for manufacturing a circuit-board structure. In the method, a conductor layer is made, which comprises a conductor foil and a conductor pattern on the surface of the conductor foil. A component is attached to the conductor layer and at least some conductor material of the conductor layer is removed from outside the conductor pattern.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,864 describes a process of manufacturing a semiconductor chip that has a connecting pad and is connected to a front side of a circuit board that has a conductive trace connected to a through-hole. An insulating adhesive layer, which has a hole corresponding to the pad, is interposed between the chip and the board so that the pad, the hole in the insulating layer and the through-hole in the board are aligned. A conductive material is applied into the through-hole from the back side of the board so as to fill the through-hole and connect the pad to the trace. The conductive material may be applied using a sputtering method, a screening method, an electroplating method or an evaporating method. The back side of the board is polished to remove conductive material which may have been applied on the back side of the board outside the through-hole.